Book & Film

The Little Blakck Fish & Where is My Friend’s House

I feature Abbas Kiarostami, one of my favourite film directors, and whose death anniversary was marked recently, and that of writer Samed Behrengi. Both of these hold a special place for me – and they offer a holistic approach to cinema and literature from the same country. Samed Behrengi – The Little Blakck Fish  “…I…

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The Lord of the Flies

This week, the subject I want to focus on is the child. For literature and cinema, the child and childhood have been interesting topics that deserve treatment. Let alone books and movies that see the child as a symbol or object of innocence, I would like to look at an example that deals with the…

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The Time Regulation Institute & What’s a Human Anyway

Book & Film Review This week, we will look at a novel by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, one of the most important names in Turkish Literature, and a film by Reha Erdem, one of the original directors of Turkish Cinema. The Time Regulation Institute – Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar In this column, we last examined Orhan Pamuk’s…

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10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World & The Butterfly’s Dream

Book & Film Review In this piece, we delve into the impressive works of two renowned artists, Elif Shafak’s book and Yılmaz Erdoğan’s film. Get ready for a literary and cinematic journey that’ll leave you intrigued. Elif Şafak – 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World Elif Shafak’s 10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This…

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The Stone Building and Other Places & The Waiting Room

Book & Film Review This week, we embark on an intriguing journey into the impactful work of writer Aslı Erdoğan and director Zeki Demirkubuz. Aslı Erdoğan – The Stone Building and Other Places Contemporary Turkish writer and journalist Aslı Erdoğan’s short story collection “The Stone Building and Other Places”, which won Turkey’s prestigious short story…

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Motherland Hotel & The Wild Pear Tree

Book & Film Review Motherland Hotel – Yusuf Atılgan Turkish author Yusuf Atilgan’s classic 1973 novel about alienation, obsession, and rapid decline examines the sickly mind of a man buried in deep loneliness. This man named Zebercet is the owner of the Motherland Hotel and the only employee at the hotel other than the cleaner.…

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Waiting for Fear & Yurt

Book & Film Review This week, I review a book by Oğuz Atay, a writer I love to read, and a movie by director Nehir Tuna, who is a also fairly new name for me. Oğuz Atay – Waiting for Fear Waiting for Fear, which consists of compiled stories, was first published in 1975. It…

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The Island of Missing Trees & Ivy

Book & Film Review The Island of Missing Trees – Elif Şafak Elif Şafak is a controversial name in Turkey, both because of what she writes and what she says. The fact she chooses characters from minority peoples and religions in Turkey in her books, and brings these characters face to face with characters suitable…

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Our Grand Despair & Jules and Jim

Film & Book Review This week, we’re delving into Turkish Literature with Barış Bıçakçı’s book and exploring French Cinema through François Truffaut’s film. Join me for a fascinating journey into these captivating worlds! Our Grand Despair, Barış Bıçakçı The love story of two men and a woman is one of the subjects that literature and…

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